2015 Maccabi Victoria Sports Awards

“The quality of this year’s award winners are outstanding and reflects the incredible talent in our community. Our athletes are competing at state and national level and winning medals,” Mr Dorfman said. “We can be very proud of all winners and nominees.”

Paralympic table tennis player Barak Mizrachi was named Outstanding Jewish Sportsman of the year at the annual Maccabi Victoria Awards night, which was held in Melbourne on Sunday night.

Mizrachi, who was also named as the Outstanding Maccabi Sportsman of the year, is the Oceania Para Table Tennis champion in class 6-10 singles and has qualified to represent Australia at the Rio Paralympics later this year.

“This recognises a fantastic year by Barak and the entire community looks forward to watching him represent Australia at the Paralympics this year,” said Maccabi Victoria president Joe Dorfman.

The Outstanding Maccabi Sportswoman of the year was Toni Hamilton, who won the team and competition best and fairest in the first year of the Ajax Football Club’s women’s team, the Jackettes. She was also accepted into the AFL’s academy program and is in line to play in the inaugural AFL women’s competition next year.

Race walker Jemima Montag, a member of Australia’s track and field team took out the both the Outstanding Maccabi and Outstanding Jewish Junior Sportswoman of the Year award, while swimmer Dante Negri won the Outstanding Maccabi Junior Sportsman and cyclist Riley Hart the Outstanding Jewish JuniorSportman award.

Veterans awards went to lawn bowler Gail Nadelman (Maccabi) and swimmer Michael Carp (Maccabi and Jewish), while Rhythmic Gymnast Alexandra Kiroi received the Rising Star Award, which was re-introduced this year, and the Rudi Roth Scholarship.

Clive Aaron from the Maccabi Swimming Club was named as the Outstanding Maccabi Administrator of the year.

David Zivin, an assistant team manager at the last four junior carnivals as well as a committee member at the Junior Cricket and Football Clubs was a joint winner of the President’s Award. Philip Sheezel was the other joint winner of the President’s Award and his extraordinary efforts over many years were acknowledged. Philip has been instrumental in setting up the Maccabi Victoria SportsFoundation, has driven the MPP, Pathways program and 90th celebrations to name just a few of his recent contributions.

Mark Klapish received the Lenny Bogatin Award for outstanding service to Maccabi Victoria and Jewish sport for his Management role of last year’s 90th Anniversary celebrations and continuing contribution whenever asked.

Click here for the powerpoint of all Award nominees

Thank you to our Sponsors

And Thank You to Trialia Foods for kindly donating wine for this event, and Les Neistat for all event photography.